Overview
Hōki Province (伯耆国, Hōki-no kuni), sometimes rendered Hakushū (伯州), was an old provincial division of Japan located on the island of Honshū. Its territory corresponds largely to the western portion of present-day Tottori Prefecture. Under Japan’s classical ritsuryō system Hōki was administered as a kuni (province) and retained that identity through the medieval and early modern eras until the Meiji reforms.
Geography and notable places
The province combined a Sea of Japan coastline, lowland plains and upland mountain areas. Coastal towns, most notably the castle town and port at Yonago, supported fishing and maritime trade, while inland valleys produced rice and other crops. The ancient provincial capital was situated near modern Kurayoshi, which functioned as an administrative and commercial center.
History and administration
Hōki was established as part of the centralized provincial framework in the Nara and Heian periods and appears in early Chronicles and cadastral records. Over the centuries control of the area shifted between local clans and competing warlords. In the early modern period, the Tokugawa shogunate reorganized the region into several feudal domains (han) with castle towns and domain governments. The Meiji Restoration and the 1870s abolition of the han system replaced provinces with prefectures; Hōki’s territory was incorporated into the modern prefectural system.
Culture, economy and religion
The province’s economy blended agriculture, coastal fisheries and forestry from the uplands. Castle towns and ports encouraged local markets and crafts. Religious life centered around Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples; the province had a recognized ichinomiya (chief shrine) that served as a ritual focus and gathering point for the region. Local festivals, seasonal rites and community traditions reflected the mix of mountain and maritime livelihoods.
Borders and distinctions
Hōki’s historical boundaries and relations with neighboring provinces were important to its identity; these historical boundaries defined trade routes and military frontiers. Adjacent provinces were:
Today Hōki survives as a historical and cultural concept rather than an administrative unit. Its legacy appears in place names, archaeological sites, and the regional character of western Tottori, where the mix of coastal ports like Yonago and inland centers such as Kurayoshi continue to reflect the province’s long history.